The Light in Darkness
by xxNoirLovexx
Summary: Tsukiko is the daughter of the sun Goddess Amaterasu, and has joined with Inuyasha and Kagome in restoring the Sacred Jewel. However there is only one thing that could lead her from the path of light to descend into darkness - that thing is Inuyasha's elder brother, Lord Sesshomaru.


"Sesshomaru!" Tsukiko called as she ran towards the battling brothers. Inuyasha was losing fast, his older brother had found some kind of new power. She couldn't let Inuyasha die, he was too important, but she couldn't kill Sesshomaru. And thus she had done the only thing she could think to do.

His razor sharp claws pierced her fatally as she intercepted the finishing blow intended for the younger brother. Sesshomaru stared at her, his brows slowly starting to knit together as he began to understand what had just happened.

"Tsukiko!" Inuyasha cried furiously behind them. The demi-god dropped her head as a red tear escaped down her cheek and fell to the dirt below,

"Forgive me...Inuyasha." she whispered before ripping Sesshomaru's arm from her chest and whirling to face the charging half-demon. She put all her remaining strength and power into her hand and cast out the flames of her mother, seperaing her friends from Sesshomaru. As she dropped to her knees the voices of her worried and angered companions reached her deafening ears. Tsukiko smiled weakly and fell to the side, blood staining her long white hair.

Sesshomaru stared at Tsukiko's lifeless body. Who had she been protecting when she'd taken his blow? He recalled her crying out his name, not in anger but worry, as she moved to recieve the blow meant for his younger half brother. He knew the way her mind worked, but this he couldn't work out. He knelt beside her body and lifted her into his lap, ignoring the yelling of the brats on the other side of the wall of fire.

"Tsukiko..." her name sounded different when he said it, like he was never supposed to call her by it. She was smiling when she had died, a symbol of her purity. But then she was the daughter of a Goddess. He stared at her serene face, waiting for her to open her eyes and smile at him, the way she'd always done. Tsukiko had always been a constant in his life ever since he could remember, always there in the background. He was content as long as he knew she was floating around somewhere; but now as he cradled her body in his arms, knowing that she had been killed by his hands, Sesshomaru felt emotions he had never experienced before. Regret, sorrow and restlessness. These three emotions crashed together beneath his stoic mask. Tsukiko was gone and there was nothing anyone could do.

No, there was. There was something one person could do. As the realization became clearer in his mind, Sesshomaru lifted Tsukiko over his shoulder. Through the flames Inuyasha was being held back by Miroku and Sango. He caught glimpses of his brother rising and disappearing with Tsukiko's body. Inuyasha didn't know why Sesshomaru was taking her away, but he knew it wouldn't be to bury her. Perhaps he would use her body to make a weapon greater than the Tessaiga.

"Inuyasha, you can't cross the flames. They'll kill you!" Miroku warned him as Inuyasha went to try to cross them again. He swore under his breath. Tsukiko's fire was hotter than any other flame and it would continue to burn until the the moon's light bathed it.

"We have to get her back." he announced as the three of them rejoined Kagome, Kirara and Shippo.

"We can't do anything until those flames dissappear." Sango said as she patted Inuyasha's shoulder. And so they would wait until nightfall and chase after Sesshomaru and reclaim their friend.

Her shoulder ached and she felt like a boulder was sitting on her chest. Her bones felt like lead and every noise was 1000 times louder. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she frowned as two large round yellow eyes stared down at her. The thing smelt remarkably bad and had green scaley skin.

"Get off her, Jaken." came the low, emotionless voice she had died to protect.

"Sesshomaru?" She rasped as the creature, that had been so curious towards her and was now stuttering in fear, climbed off her chest. The white-haired demon slowly opened his eyes to gaze at her; Tsukiko felt the weight of his stare as if it pressed her into the ground.

"Jaken, leave us." he commanded the small imp who took off immediately, not wanting to anger his master.

"Your stupidity surprises me, Tsukiko." Sesshomaru said once they were alone. Sesshomaru barely showed any emotion other than anger, so of course it astounded her when she realized he'd worried about her.

"I couldn't let you die." She confessed softly turning away from his piercing gaze. He had brought her back to life somehow, she owed him the truth at least. A darkness surrounded her, gnawing and tugging at her nerves. Sesshomaru was furious - she had only experienced this kind of anger once in his presence when he had confronted his father. Now that violent fury was aimed at her and she feared him.

"Don't ever do something as trivial as that again." he ordered her, "I won't be as sympathetic as to bring you back next time." His words decended on her like a storm as his scent faded into shadow. _Trivial..Sympathetic..._ He had never expressed feelings of sympathy before, nor was she compelled to believe he could expeirence it. Sesshomaru was a selfish, proud demon who sought only two things - unchallenged power and the death of his younger half-brother. Things like certain emotions that hindered his gaining of both were easily cast aside.

Tsukiko had wondered why he'd never seen her as a threat to the achievement of his goals, even when she had teamed up with Inuyasha, something he should have seen as a betrayal. As children he would never become jealous or upset if she played with others, but he would always protect her should she need it.

"Sesshomaru..." she whispered before giving into the sweet call of slumber. Sesshomaru stayed as far as his pride would allow him; unable to be detected by the weakened girl but keeping her in sight in case something should happen. For example a pesky half-demon brat and his party turning up to take her away. He let out a soft breath and sank against the trunk of a tree to gather his thoughts. Tsukiko was now in his debt despite what either of them wanted, she wouldn't see it any other way, which meant she was now his for the moment. Sesshomaru would never admit it, it wasn't in his character to, but when Tsukiko had joined with Inuyasha like he knew she would, he was completely unprepared for the emotions that filled him. Jealousy and emptiness, he had lost her to his brother.

And yet she died for him; a fact that left him more than confused and led him to his next question. Now that he had her, what would he do with her? She wouldn't betray Inuyasha so using her to kill the brat was out of the question and even if he did try to manipulate her into it, he would never be able to forgive himself. Perhaps he should just keep her around until he found a use for her. He chuckled at the thought of the daughter of a Goddess travelling with the son of a Demon. Irony moved in strange ways.


End file.
